STUDENT UNREST AT YALE TAKES FORM OF PROTEST AGAINST COMPULSORY CHAPEL AND RESTRICTED CUTS

With the question of entrance requirements, scholastic standards, curtailment of athletics, and methods of student government before the University, with agitation in regard to athletics and methods of tests and examinations engaging attention at Princeton, it is at Yale that movements for reform and signs of dissatisfaction with existing conditions has reached their height. During the past few months Yale has seen an amazing amount of agitation, chiefly in regard to waht has been termed "paternalism".

For several years there has been at Yale a feeling among undergraduates that some of the institutions of the University were relics of the past and have outgrown their usefulness. The conviction has been expressed in sporadic outcroppings of student opinion on various matters affecting undergraduate life, but these spasms of expression have usually been short-lived, dying a natural death because of the lack of any organized and energetic support among the students. These smouldering embers of discontent were again inflamed a few months ago, and by the number of opinions which have been published and the interest which has been shown among the undergraduates, this movement seems to promise some definite results.

The immediate occasion for this recrudescence was the, appearance in the January issue of the Yale Literary Magazine of an editorial by R. W. Davenport '23 which atacked Christianity in a most vigorous manner. Following this there was published in the first issue of the "Elihu" a new magazine at Yale, an article by the same author which struck in an equally agressive fashion at the Faculty and its methods of teaching, the Yale curriculum, and the type of education given at Yale. Along with these two leaders, there appeared in a more or less informal manner a weekly sheet called the "Saturday Evening Pest", which aimed its indictments freely at the fundamental institutions of undergraduate activity.

Student Body Stirred

The combination of these forces, especially the attacks on compulsory attendance at Chapel and the curriculum of the College, stirred up the student body to a great extent. Voluminous communications were sent to the Daily News, supporting and opposing the status quo on all of the issues under the head of "paternalism", including compulsory Chapel attendance, required courses, and the limitation of cuts. Discussion of the problems became so rife that finally the Daily News held a straw vote among the Faculty and students.

There were five questions presented upon the ballots, more than 900 of which were returned to the Daily News. The abolishment of compulsory Sunday Chapel and the unlimited cut system for upperclassmen with satisfactory standing, were favored by the votes of 017 to 201, and 646 to 148, respectively. A great majority of the voters supported the limitation of enrollment, while the affirmative gained the verdict by a comfortable margin in the response to the questions "Do you favor a general increase in student government?" and "Are tutoring schools injurious?" Largely as a result of the interest shown in this balloting, the Dean of Students appointed a committee of five faculty members and six undergraduates, and, although no official action was taken by the body, in pursuance of its recommendation some changes were made in the arrangements for Sunday Chapel.

The two most important topics which were discussed and about which the greatest interest developed, were compulsory attendance at Chapel and the cut system. About this pair the battle raged most fiercely, although proposals for the increase of student government and of the effectiveness of the honor system occasioned a good deal of debate.

Cut System Criticized

As for the cut system, almost unanimously it was admitted that the present limitation was unwise because it subordinated the idea of study and research to mere attendance at classes, many of which were sleepy and stereotyped and had no real value as educational factors. Practically the entire student body agreed that the system in force, which was characterized as "grammar-schoolish" and "moss-covered", needed revision, but many contrary opinions were expressed as to the basis of the change. The first proposal was for unlimited cuts for upperclassmen with an average standing of 70 or better.

This caused a large amount of opposition by those who believed the minimum requirement to be too low and not designed to bring from a student the best work of which he was capable. Because of the varied beliefs among the undergraduates, it seems improbable that any radical change will be made, but that the situation will be remedied by a gradual extension of Honors courses, which are open only to students of high standing and offer a definite stimulus for the attaining of creditable grades.

Chapel a Bone of Contention

The greatest amount of discussion was aroused in the controversy over compulsory attendance at Sunday Chapel. In addition to the declaration that forced presence at Chapel was a prostitution of a religious service, its main purpose being to compel students to remain in New Haven a large proportion of the week ends during the college year, those opposed to it brought forward many arguments to support their stand, as did also those who favored the continuance of the present policy.

Chapel Supporters Rally

Chief among the arguments of the supporters of Chapel attendance on Sunday were four. First, they declared that Yale was essentially a Christian institution, that it was founded as such, that men going to New Haven do so with the knowledge that there they will be obliged to attend religious services, and that, if they are opposed to it, there are many other colleges which they may enter. In the second place, it was stated that Chapel was a place in which students might acquire in a peculiarly fitting manner ideals and idealism. The third argument brought forward in its favor was that Chapel was really a course of Bible instruction and Christian thought, without which a man was not educated and lacking which he could not be a useful citizen in a Christian country. Finally, although they admitted that forced attendance prejudiced some men hopelessly against religion, the supporters of the compulsory Chapel system declared that the inspiration, which many students who would not voluntarily go to church, received, overbalanced the continued indifference of the other faction.

5 Arguments Against Chapel

In opposition to these arguments, those who favored a change in the Chapel attendance system brought forth five items. First of all they declared that while Yale was founded with compulsory Chapel, it was also founded without Psychology and Chemistry courses, and without a Medical or Law School; that, in other words, the emphasis had shifted in education, and that forced attendance at a religious service is an anachronism. Secondly, they stated that, because of the feeling of compulsion, men were prejudiced in Chapel against Christianity and its ideals. Next, it was asserted that presence of hostile individuals in the congregation robbed the service of its real significance to those who came in a reverent spirit. The fourth argument of those who supported freedom in the attendance at Chapel was that the ideals of Christianity as well as the beauties of Biblical literature could be taught and learned to much better effect in a regular course devoted specifically to those subjects. Finally, they asserted that it was fundamentally wrong to force a man to worship in a way he does not wish to follow.

Agitation Fruitful to a Degree

Although the movement did not bring about any removal of the obligation to attend Chapel, it did cause some changes in the manner in which that necessity could be met. Because of the general feeling that compulsory services were especially bad as held in Woolsey Hall, which is properly a concert hall and not a religious edifice at all, it was decided for the future to hold the Sunday meetings in Battell Chapel, and to accommodate the large number in the smaller space, by having two services, one at 10 o'clock and the other at 11 o'clock.

On the whole, no radical results have been obtained so far by the agitation, but several minor improvements have been made and, by the lively discussion, facts have been brought before the student body. Above all, a general interest has been stimulated among the undergraduates, an interest which would seem to point to a certainty of a gradual liberalization of the more stringent rules now in effect.